Would you rather die than renounce your religious beliefs?

[an anarchist]

Would you die for your religious beliefs? Specifically, would you die in refusal to denounce your religious beliefs?

I remember when I was a preteen/teenager, my Sunday school teacher at a Christian church talked several times about "being a martyr for Christ." He would boast that he would gladly become one. He told us stories (ones I doubt) about how in the middle east, Muslim terrorists would stop busses, and anyone on board who was Christian / unable to recite Islamic scripture was killed. He said that if he was in that situation, he would NOT deny Christ and take the bullet. Then he encouraged us to have the same mindset. Brought up some verse in Revelation about how martyrs get special treatment in heaven or something.

As a youngster, I remember sitting through that class going back and forth in my thoughts on what I would do in that situation. I was being led to believe that I would have to choose death rather than denouncing Christianity. God would deny me if I denied him was the logic I was being told. But then I also was thinking, like, I would also be totally down to say that "I am not a Christian pls don't kill me" if presented with a gun to my face. I mean... That's reasonable, right?

What do you think your God would want you to do? Lie, or die?

I'm not a Christian anymore, but I do think, currently, I would lie about any of my beliefs if they were gonna get me immediately killed.

So, what about you, religious folk? What would you do, if presented with the option of death or renunciation of your preferred religion?

There are many historical precedents for this scenario, even on a wide scale. Perhaps one of the more notable examples was Imperial Rome persecuting Christians and often giving them this ultimatum, before the emperors became Christian.

This question is open to Atheists too. Suppose it's religious folk who want to make a martyr out of atheists, for your scenario.

 

[Twilight Hue]

I'm grateful I have nothing to denounce.

 

[Secret Chief]

Would you die for your religious beliefs? Specifically, would you die in refusal to denounce your religious beliefs?

I remember when I was a preteen/teenager, my Sunday school teacher at a Christian church talked several times about "being a martyr for Christ." He would boast that he would gladly become one. He told us stories (ones I doubt) about how in the middle east, Muslim terrorists would stop busses, and anyone on board who was Christian / unable to recite Islamic scripture was killed. He said that if he was in that situation, he would NOT deny Christ and take the bullet. Then he encouraged us to have the same mindset. Brought up some verse in Revelation about how martyrs get special treatment in heaven or something.

As a youngster, I remember sitting through that class going back and forth in my thoughts on what I would do in that situation. I was being led to believe that I would have to choose death rather than denouncing Christianity. God would deny me if I denied him was the logic I was being told. But then I also was thinking, like, I would also be totally down to say that "I am not a Christian pls don't kill me" if presented with a gun to my face. I mean... That's reasonable, right?

What do you think your God would want you to do? Lie, or die?

I'm not a Christian anymore, but I do think, currently, I would lie about any of my beliefs if they were gonna get me immediately killed.

So, what about you, religious folk? What would you do, if presented with the option of death or renunciation of your preferred religion?

There are many historical precedents for this scenario, even on a wide scale. Perhaps one of the more notable examples was Imperial Rome persecuting Christians and often giving them this ultimatum, before the emperors became Christian.

This question is open to Atheists too. Suppose it's religious folk who want to make a martyr out of atheists, for your scenario.

Words spoken are not necessarily the same words as in the mind. I don't want to die because of a nutter on the bus. (But then I know nothing to recite).

 

[Viker]

If they didn't know about my religion, I could lie. It's up to me. My gods wouldn't mind or hold it against me.

They'd still be there.

If they know about my religion I wouldn't choose to die. I also wouldn't fake renunciation to spare my life. Integrity could get me killed not a choice to die. I would die sober, with dignity. Definitely not from being willing or glad to do so.

No one chooses to be murdered.

 

[Heyo]

Would you die for your religious beliefs? Specifically, would you die in refusal to denounce your religious beliefs?

I remember when I was a preteen/teenager, my Sunday school teacher at a Christian church talked several times about "being a martyr for Christ." He would boast that he would gladly become one. He told us stories (ones I doubt) about how in the middle east, Muslim terrorists would stop busses, and anyone on board who was Christian / unable to recite Islamic scripture was killed. He said that if he was in that situation, he would NOT deny Christ and take the bullet. Then he encouraged us to have the same mindset. Brought up some verse in Revelation about how martyrs get special treatment in heaven or something.

As a youngster, I remember sitting through that class going back and forth in my thoughts on what I would do in that situation. I was being led to believe that I would have to choose death rather than denouncing Christianity. God would deny me if I denied him was the logic I was being told. But then I also was thinking, like, I would also be totally down to say that "I am not a Christian pls don't kill me" if presented with a gun to my face. I mean... That's reasonable, right?

What do you think your God would want you to do? Lie, or die?

I'm not a Christian anymore, but I do think, currently, I would lie about any of my beliefs if they were gonna get me immediately killed.

So, what about you, religious folk? What would you do, if presented with the option of death or renunciation of your preferred religion?

There are many historical precedents for this scenario, even on a wide scale. Perhaps one of the more notable examples was Imperial Rome persecuting Christians and often giving them this ultimatum, before the emperors became Christian.

This question is open to Atheists too. Suppose it's religious folk who want to make a martyr out of atheists, for your scenario.

I have nothing to denounce and I'm lucky to live in a society where I don't have to pretend to be religious. I could and would if in a pinch but I'm sure I'd make some blasphemous remarks sometime.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

I would choose to die, and take as many of the persecutors with me as possible. Honor and courage above all.

 

[Viker]

I would choose to die, and take as many of the persecutors with me as possible. Honor and courage above all.

What if your hands were tied and you were bound to a post?

 

[PureX]

I have no religious beliefs to be a concern to anyone.

 

[Lotus Jewel]

I would choose to die because I can't imagine the nature of the regime that would want to force anyone to renounce Buddhism, for one thing. I know that it isn't a regime anyone would want to live under, and when asked to bend to the demands of such a brutal regime - I'd see no good in complying.

I wouldn't want to live to serve a Nazi regime, just as one example of forms a brutal regime can take.

More than that, I believe in the message of the Tathagata, and his vision for humankind, which his emphasis on compassion and non-violence in his followers implies. I couldn't in good conscience or truthfulness renounce it.

It wouldn't be in accordance with truthfulness, and even though the Buddha wouldn't think himself as one who could be betrayed - I would still count it a betrayal of principle, and of the Tathagata. For my part.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

What if your hands were tied and you were bound to a post?

I would've died in a shootout before then. They ain't taking me alive. Lol

 

[Viker]

I have no religious beliefs to be a concern to anyone.

You have a lack of beliefs. There's an slim possibility that this scenario could still apply to you. But instead of renunciation, conversion or else. It's not specifically in the OP but the implication isn't unreasonable.

 

[Viker]

I would've died in a shootout before then. They ain't taking me alive. Lol

Okay, Vin Diesel! LoL

 

[mangalavara]

Specifically, would you die in refusal to denounce your religious beliefs?

According to the New Oxford American Dictionary, to denounce something is to publicly declare that the thing is wrong or evil. In my case, as a proud Hindu, I love Hinduism very much and I cannot in good conscience do such a repugnant thing to it. If I were to denounce Hinduism, the anti-Hindu witnesses would brag to other people about it. My beloved way of life would lose face because of me. For that reason, I would rather die.

What do you think your God would want you to do? Lie, or die?

It doesn’t matter to me what Durgā would want me to do. I would proudly die as a known devotee of hers rather than deny her and be spared by some scumbag who looks down on my religion.

 

[Quintessence]

I can't "renounce" my religion. It is who and what I am. So there really isn't a choice involved. I cannot be that which I am not and must be that which I am, so I guess I would have to die. No big deal, honestly, given all things in the now are ephemeral and fleeting. It would be better to die for that which I am than something stupid like placating idiots who apparently hate my existence on principle.

 

[rocala]

Staying alive is my priority. Then I have a chance to survive into a safer, more civilized time.

 

[George-ananda]

I'd renounce as it changes nothing internally. Not important what some outsider thinks I believe.

 

[Ella S.]

Death has always been a part of the deal when it comes to living. Whether I die today or in several decades does not matter so much, in my opinion. Plus, for all I know, I could die today, this week, this month, this year, this decade, etc.

I don't think it's courageous to take unnecessary risks, though. I think it's good to be prudent and cautious.

The question is, would the risk be necessary?

Currently, I am of the opinion that my first duty is to the truth. I try to avoid even so-called "white lies" and I will avoid sugar-coating topics if I think it might be misleading. I think it's fair to say that I take honesty more seriously than the majority of people in my culture and community.

My initial response was that I would die in the scenario, because my integrity is more important than my life. My life is going to end eventually, anyway, but I get to determine whether my integrity is compromised. I would rather die as virtuous in character as possible.

However, on further reflection, I don't think that lying in this scenario would violate my integrity. I'm not serving truth by being honest here. The person threatening my life is not interested in having an open-minded discussion about my beliefs. In fact, they probably wouldn't really understand the nuances of my position and would not be open to examining them, so any answer I give in this scenario is going to be misleading.

Truth would be better served if I could live another day to have those discussions with people that are more willing to engage in them. So I would lie, but only out of a concern for the greater good, not for my own sake.

 

[PureX]

You have a lack of beliefs. There's an slim possibility that this scenario could still apply to you. But instead of renunciation, conversion or else. It's not specifically in the OP but the implication isn't unreasonable.

Threats are threats regardless, I guess. Saying the words "I believe" to avoid harm is just saying words to avoid harm. No one can control what anyone else believes or does not believe. No one can even know apart from what they say, and anyone can say anything. And most anyone certainly would to avoid harm.

So to me, the one making the threat s an idiot, and they one saying whatever to avoid harm is just being practical.

 

[The Hammer]

Nothing to renounce. It's my lifeway, I would just lie about my beliefs to protect my life.

 

[osgart]

Honesty to me is telling the truth people truly deserve to hear. If I'm seriously threatened to renounce my faith then I'll give them the deserved falsehood that requires because that deserves falsehood for sure. I don't owe someone like that any truth. An honest falsehood is required to protect what needs protecting.

Honesty was never having to tell the whole truth to undeserving ears. That's just stupid. All virtues are based on trustworthiness and deservingness.

I don't know who invented the definition of honesty is to always tell the whole truth no matter what; there's no discretion in that. Discretion is a virtue in my book.

Sometimes the truth is a big fat falsehood like renouncing my faith.